ASIATODAY.ID, NEW YORK — With global tensions spiraling and what he called “reckless actions” producing dangerous consequences, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres issued a stark warning to the world: choose peace—or brace for chaos.
Speaking to reporters at UN Headquarters, Guterres laid out his priorities for 2026, the final year of his tenure, against a backdrop of mounting conflicts, climate catastrophe, technological upheaval, and a rapidly fragmenting global order.
“2026 is already shaping up to be a year of constant surprises and chaos,” Guterres said, signaling that the world is entering a period of extreme volatility unless decisive collective action is taken.
A trained physicist before entering public life, Guterres framed his message through the lens of science—specifically Newton’s Third Law of Motion: every action produces an equal and opposite reaction.
“As we begin this year, we are determined to choose actions that generate concrete and positive reactions,” he said.
“Reactions of peace, of justice, of responsibility, and of progress in our troubled times.”
A Dangerous Chain Reaction
Guterres warned that impunity is now one of the main engines of conflict, accelerating violence, deepening mistrust, and opening space for powerful spoilers to destabilize entire regions.
At the same time, massive cuts to humanitarian aid are triggering what he described as a “chain reaction of despair, displacement, and death,” especially as inequality continues to widen across and within nations.
Climate change, he added, represents the most devastating real-world illustration of Newton’s law: emissions that heat the planet are unleashing storms, wildfires, floods, droughts, and rising seas at unprecedented speed.
Power Is Shifting—and It’s Unchecked
The Secretary-General also sounded the alarm on what he called “perhaps the greatest transfer of power of our times”—from governments to private technology companies.
“When technologies that shape behaviour, elections, markets, and even conflicts operate without guardrails,” he warned, “the reaction is not innovation—it is instability.”
This shift, he said, is unfolding while global governance systems remain stuck in power structures designed more than 80 years ago.
Hegemony Won’t Fix the World
Rejecting both unilateral dominance and great-power duopolies, Guterres stressed that global problems cannot be solved by one power calling the shots—or by two powers carving the world into rival spheres of influence.
Instead, he called for an accelerated form of networked, inclusive multipolarity, anchored in strong multilateral institutions where legitimacy is rooted in shared responsibility and shared values.
“Structures may be out of date,” he said, “but values are not.”
The principles enshrined in the UN Charter, he emphasized, are not abstract ideals but the essential foundations of lasting peace and justice.
Peace, Reform, and Development—Together or Not at All
Guterres outlined three core pillars for his final year:
– Pushing for just and sustainable peace, grounded in international law and addressing the root causes of conflict.
– Reforming and strengthening the UN Security Council, the only body mandated to act on peace and security on behalf of all nations.
– Accelerating progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including reforming the global financial architecture.
That reform, he said, must include ending the debt trap, tripling the lending capacity of multilateral development banks, and giving developing countries real influence in global financial institutions.
Climate Action and AI Governance
On climate, Guterres called for deep emissions cuts this decade, a just transition away from fossil fuels, and far greater support for countries already facing climate catastrophe.
He also highlighted early warning systems and new opportunities for mineral-rich nations to move up global value chains.
On technology, the UN is racing to establish a global framework for AI governance, including the launch of an International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence. The names of 40 proposed members will be submitted to the General Assembly soon.
He also renewed his call for a $3 billion Global Fund for AI Capacity Development to ensure developing countries are not left behind in the AI revolution.
A Final-Year Message to the World
As he closed his remarks, Guterres returned to the core message of his final year in office:
“We are determined to choose actions that generate positive reactions—reactions of peace, justice, responsibility, and progress.”
The implication was clear: the cost of inaction is no longer theoretical—it is already unfolding. (AT Network)
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